


You Raise Me Up

by Scribble_Spirit



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Domestic Avengers, Drabble Collection, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Holidays, Hurt Peter Parker, Hurt/Comfort, Near Death Experiences, New Years, Parent Tony Stark, Poisoning, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Precious Peter Parker, Protective Tony Stark, Sleepy Cuddles, Sleepy Peter Parker, Stabbing, The Author Regrets Nothing, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-29
Updated: 2019-12-31
Packaged: 2020-09-29 11:15:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20435090
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scribble_Spirit/pseuds/Scribble_Spirit
Summary: A collection of my Irondad one-shot drabbles. Tags will be added as I go along!





	1. Stop Shaking

The sound of his screwdriver clanging to the floor was enough to send a sharp jolt of anxiety through his body.

Tony’s hands wouldn’t stop trembling. He hadn’t felt this way in months, not since the aftermath of the fallout with Steve. The feeling of stress and despair eating at him from the inside out had been attacking him since he received the message: the government was having him meet with some of the Rogue Avengers.

Some, including Captain America. 

The damn accords were back in full swing and ruining his life all over again, and now after days of panic attacks and alcohol and nightmares of the rage in Steve’s eyes as he stood over him and lunged the shield straight toward his throat, Tony could barely hold himself together anymore. Tomorrow would be the day when he saw them all again, and even tinkering with his suits wasn’t enough to get the reminder out of his head.

All his mind kept jumping to was Germany. Germany, which solved nothing and only led to further pain. The video of his parents, the battle with Cap in Siberia, and then the devastation that followed. The billionaire could feel the sting of tears hitting the corners of his vision as he tried to work his troubles away.

He blinked furiously. His head was aching. He refused to cry over this.

And then the sound of opening doors hit his ears. Only a small number of people had active access to Tony’s workshop, and remembering what day it was, his head lowered to hit his hands.

“Hey Mr. Stark!”

Dammit.  _ God dammit _ how could he have forgotten? He couldn’t let Peter see him like this, he should have cancelled, how could he have been so idiotic? Now he was going to ruin the kid’s day because he would have to see him like this, and Tony was probably going to panic or lash out or both, and he didn’t want the kid to see any of that.

He took in a shuddering breath and blinked away more tears.

_ Don’t think about Cap, don’t think about Cap, don’t think about Cap, don’t think about Cap…. _

“Hey Kid,” Tony tried to talk casually. “How was your day?”

He lifted his head from his palms, feeling the beads of sweat that were forming as his stomach bubbled with stress. He just wanted the kid to leave while he could, he didn’t want to hurt him.

Peter dropped his backpack and his jacket on the floor by the entrance, and strolled over to where his mentor sat with a smile.

“Pretty normal. Finished that Physics project that I told you about, which I'm sure I aced, and-”

The teen’s chattering came to a halt when he laid his eyes on Tony, who immediately tried to regain his composure. 

“Hey, are you okay?”

_ God, don’t do this please... _

The billionaire shook his head. He could feel the symptoms of another anxiety attack brewing, accompanied by the tears that threatened to well. He refused to let himself cry in front of Peter, there was no way he was putting either of them through that today.

Holding it in only increased the pain.

“Yeah, I-I’m fine,” he brushed off. “Why?”

Peter placed his hand against Tony’s shoulder, who couldn’t help himself from flinching. The kid’s hand pulled back sharply, and his eyes narrowed with concern.

Tony hated how soft this kid had made him. He knew he was about to break again, he knew he was about to find something or  _ someone _ to lash out at. He wouldn’t let that person be Peter, the kid didn’t deserve knowing about how much pain and anxiety was burning at him like acid.

“You don’t seem fine. What’s going on, Mr. Stark?”

“Nothing… I’m okay,” he insisted again, failing to hide the hitch in his voice.

“I know what not okay looks like, what’s the matter?”

His hands were still shaking as they gripped his hair tightly. Tony’s whole being seemed to tremble with the incoming wave of panic, and all he could remember was Steve Rogers, Captain America, his parents’ assassination, the vibranium shield beating into his suit  _ over and over again _ .

And as Peter watched, his eyes filled with worry and he reached out a hand to Tony’s forearm.

He snapped.

“God  _ dammit _ Peter I can’t do this right now!! You have no idea the hell that is waiting for me tomorrow, and all I’ve been doing lately is wallowing in panic and anxiety. I’m not okay, alright? I’m not okay at all, but I don’t need that coming out on you so just get the hell out of here!!”

The kid stumbled backward. His eyes filled with hurt, but Tony could still pinpoint the concern underneath it, and he hated it. He hated how he had to get Peter involved in his business, he hated how the kid had to see him like this, he hated the way his heart pounded into his ears and he couldn’t stop fucking _ shaking _ .

Tony gripped onto a wrench in front of him until he swore it would break, stood up, and hurled it across the lab until it hit the wall with a loud crash. His fists clenched so hard that his knuckles went white, and he could feel the warmth of tears.

“Pete… you need to go,” Tony said, his throat aching. “I don’t want to yell at you, and you don’t deserve to see me like this. Leave,  _ please _ .”

It was all becoming too much. All he was waiting for was the sound of footsteps turning and walking out of the lab before he could collapse and let out the weight of the agony inside of him.

But instead of hearing footsteps, Tony heard arguably the most gentle voice he had ever heard before.

“No. I’m not leaving you Tony.”

He had to bite down on his quivering lip to hold back his sob. The billionaire could feel the unshed tears threatening to strike at any moment.

_ Don’t you dare cry. _

_ Stark men are made of iron, remember? _

_ Don’t cry… don’t cry… _

_ Don’t let Peter see you like- _

He felt the heat of a drop sliding down his cheek.

_ … fuck. _

“I’ve had a terrible day Peter…” Tony muttered with a shiver. “I don’t want to yell at you right now. Please just leave, I’ll be fine.”

“No.”

With his back still facing him, he could hear the teenager approaching and struggled to conceal his anxiety.

“I’ve handled things alone my entire life, Pete. I can do this too, just get out of here.”

“But that doesn’t mean things can’t change. You don’t deserve to do this alone,” Peter whispered.

Tony shook his head and turned around to face the kid.

“I’m used to it, what makes this situation any different?”

Peter looked too mature for his age. His eyes held a calming gaze to his mentor and he seemed completely unphased by Tony losing his composure, keeping his stance firm and his expression full of care. 

“Because I’m here. It’s obvious that this isn’t a good time to be leaving you alone, so I refuse to leave sir,” Peter responded, placing a gentle hand against Tony’s shoulder. “You can yell at me, keep snapping, or hit me for all I care. I won’t leave you like this, and nothing will change that.”

His vision was blurred by tears now. Tony swallowed roughly and lowered his head. Peter was too good for him, he didn’t deserve to have this burden put on his shoulders, he should just leave while he still had the chance.

He still didn’t.

“Mr. Stark, you can cry. It’s okay.”

Tony looked back up at the kid, finding it hard to look straight. The weight of it all came barreling into him once again, and after another moment everything fell apart.

He felt the burn of tears falling down his face and the violent sobs tearing from his throat, as the stress overwhelmed any composure that the billionaire had managed to keep up to that point, and his knees gave out under him. Peter kept a firm yet comforting grip on his arms as Tony collapsed to the floor with a feeling like he was dying.

The kid didn’t even flinch, barely reacted in fact. He didn’t show any signs of horror, regret, hurt, or pity. All his expression held was worry and love, and he opened his arms to offer a hug to the broken man.

_ Soft… you’re so soft. _

Tony fell forward into Peter’s open arms, the two of them instantly hugging each other tightly as if it kept them alive. The side of the kid’s face rested against Tony’s shoulder, who gripped Peter’s shirt as he cried. Mere minutes after yelling at the kid to leave before he could snap at him, he now wanted nothing more than for Peter to stay. To have that one person he knew would understand him and would never judge him only help him like the brilliant, caring person he was.

“I’m s-sorry…” Tony choked out.

Peter merely hugged tighter, wrapping his arms around Tony comfortingly as his curls brushed against his cheek.

“It’s okay. You need this, and I won’t go until you feel better.”

The billionaire let out a wet laugh, which shortly transitioned into another hiccup. He couldn’t remember the last time that he had broken down this hard and gripped someone so tight, but he knew that Peter just wanted to help him.

Peter had seen people fall apart, and had experienced the same trauma himself. He had so much love and care in his heart, he was smart yet ridiculous, and was easily one of the greatest people Tony knew. 

He knew that this was someone it was okay to show weakness in front of.

The two held the embrace until Tony’s crying died down into sniffles, by which point Peter’s shirt was wet with tears. Even with the reminder of the Avengers meeting still lingering, the man felt more at ease than he had in days. The lingering anticipation and fear seemed to have diminished, and for the first time he felt a spark of hope that things would turn out alright.

“Feeling better?” Peter asked him.

“Yeah… thanks kid,” Tony said.

They let go of the hug. The man of iron could feel himself gently smiling for the first time in days, and the sight of that only seemed to increase the beam on Peter’s face.

“You’re welcome, Mr. Stark. I’ll always be here for you if you need someone, I promise.”

Tony nodded and quickly ruffled the kid’s messy hair, receiving a chuckle in response. 

He knew would be okay because Peter was there with him. He made Tony happier, helped him see the good in the world, and gave him someone to look out for. Someone to fight for, without hesitation.

As the two continued on with their day lightheartedly, any worries and troubles about the following day diminished. Tony knew it would still suck big time to face it, but he’d be alright. He would have those he loved at his side when he got back, like Peter.

He knew the kid wouldn’t break his promise. So Tony’s hands stopped shaking.


	2. Spider Venom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“It… it h-hurts, so much…”_
> 
> _“I know kiddo, but just focus on me okay? Just look at me.”_
> 
> _“P-Please…” he sobbed. “Please, m-make it stop… M-Mr. Stark…”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 2 and I'm already jumping into the hardcore angst! :)
> 
> This drabble was initiated by a prompt my friend gave me, the prompt being the first block of text in the chapter, and I took my ever so dark mind and went from there! The ending is more rushed than I would have liked it to be, but I'm still happy with the final results!
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

“Just focus on me okay? Focus on my voice, ignore the medics, you’re fine, you’re safe, stay with me, just focus on me.”

“I-I’m scared…”

There was so much pain. All around Tony doctors were frantically talking and ordering and running around, but the only thing that mattered was the teenager in the hospital bed in front of him. The rest of the world could be completely blocked out for all he knew. All he could see was the stream of tears falling from the brown eyes of Peter Parker, glazed with agony as they stared back at the older man. Their hands gripped tightly together, the kid still managing to keep up his strength despite the poison running through his veins and burning him from the inside out. 

Countless medics were rushing to save the young hero before it was too late, and the one person that they hadn’t been able to push out of the emergency room was Iron Man himself. While the boy’s aunt, best friend, girlfriend and additional allies had all been sent outside to wait, Tony absolutely refused to leave his side. Peter was scared- no, he was terrified, and aside from the wounds that he had already attained from the fight he was in so much pain. 

It was plain to see just by looking at him, and the guilt was eating Tony alive.

As the doctors began to hook Peter up to a plethora of IV’s, tubes, monitors, needles, and whatever other devices that were required to eject the venom from his body, Tony could feel the teenager's body begin to shake. It hadn’t lost it’s strength yet, thank god, but he knew that if something wasn’t done soon then he could be drifting toward the light.

Tony wouldn’t have that. He _had _to keep him alive.

Peter’s distant gaze started to twitch in panic, shifting toward the doctors trying to see what they were doing to him.

“Hey, c’mon bud eyes over here,” Tony insisted gently. The familiar brown eyes turned back to him.

“There you go, just listen to my voice. Ignore the pain, ignore what’s around you, just look at me. I’m not leaving you kid, you’re safe, everything’s okay.”

Peter’s shaking grip intensified, and a whimper suddenly tore from his throat as the tears continued to fall. The billionaire could feel his own vision starting to blur.

“It… it h-hurts, so much…”

“I know kiddo, but just focus on me okay? Just look at me.”

“P-Please…” he sobbed. “Please, m-make it stop… M-Mr. Stark…”

Tony nearly choked. God, he wanted nothing more than to relieve his pain, to bring that smile back that would always be able to lift his mood, and to let Peter walk out of this room safely to those awaiting him outside the door. If only he had been the one who got stabbed instead, knife laced with poison straight through one end and out the other. He swore that if he ever laid his eyes on that fucking villain again, he would make him suffer for what he’d done to Peter.

An afternoon that began pleasant and had now turned life-threatening was all because of some criminal thug who couldn't have just left his kid alone.

* * *

_With a powerful swing, the vigilante sent another powerful kick into the torso of the villain they were in the midst of battling._

_Twenty minutes earlier had held a typical meetup between Tony and Peter, with some usual tinkering and friendly banter, before being interrupted by a call from Black Widow herself (Peter hadn’t stopped bouncing with excitement!) who reported that a rogue criminal had escaped from prison, and was attacking innocents in the streets of New York. He had come armed with lethal weapons that kept the NYPD at a distance, and the head officer himself had requested assistance from the Avengers._

_Next thing they knew, Iron Man and Spider-Man were suited up and heading toward the scene of the crime where War Machine, Black Widow and Falcon awaited them. The vile man was more than just your standard prisoner, and demonstrated himself to put up quite a fight against the superheroes. With his own manufactured shields, bombs and blades, it was hard to predict what this man’s motives or next moves were._

_Now, however, the battle was nearly over. Many of the man's weapons had been used or dropped, and he was now attempting to flee from the Avengers pursuing him. As Peter shot out a web to throw himself forward at a much faster pace, he turned 180 degrees to then lunge toward the man’s front side and drew his fist back for a punch._

_He should have known not to be so cocky…_

_As Spider-Man reached the menace, a sudden cloud of smoke from one of his remaining bombs clouded his vision, thick enough that not even his enhanced senses could pull through this time. He spent a moment in a panic, as the criminal they were against had now vanished, and his line of sight was completely whited out. Just as he turned to shoot a web to pull himself back out to visibility, his Spidey Sense jolted with panic of an incoming threat._

_The sudden feeling of a powerful grip on Peter’s neck prevented him from being able to dodge. A choked up wail tore from him as the agony of something sharp and narrow ripping through his body struck his right torso. He gasped for air, feeling the world spinning around him as the pain climbed it's way up his body like roots._

_‘Don’t panic don’t panic don’t panic…’ he thought as his eyes welled up._

_‘Remember what Tony taught you, just breathe don’t panic just focus on breathing everything will be fine!’_

_After the blade was pulled out is when Peter felt his legs bring him to the ground. Sounds of yells and crashes and blasts were all shrouded out by something pounding in his head, like a muffled heartbeat. His senses felt out of focus, even starting to block out the sting oozing from his wound. _ _It was strange, he realized. He had been stabbed like this in fights before, multiple times. Why was this happening? Every other experience he had had, the teen would still manage to move or even finish the fight after the deed was done. Never before had his legs gone limp and his senses been dulled in this way._

_It was beginning to scare him._

_‘It’s just a knife wound dammit, get back up!’_

_Peter’s limbs refused to move. In fact, most of Peter’s body felt like it was starting to go numb. A strange ache was beginning to build up throughout the inside of him, pulsing from every vein and artery he had and gradually getting worse. What was happening to him?_

_He could hear the distant noise of police sirens. Had they won? He didn’t know, everything seemed so warped, he couldn’t tell what was happening anymore. _

_Someone ran over and stood above the teen. Was that Mr. Stark? Could Mr. Stark help the burning feeling that was igniting inside of him?_

_‘Help… please help, Tony… it hurts…’ his thoughts urged him to cry out._

_Peter felt his lips move. He was speaking, but he didn’t know what he was saying. Then he was being carried somewhere, the familiar scent of the Iron Man suit providing him with a thin layer of comfort to quell the panic._

_Everything hurt. Nothing would move, only his head would shift from time to time. His skin felt numb, and yet the inside of him burned. He knew there must be blood pooling at the spot he was stabbed, and yet he was completely unaware. All Peter could feel was the increasing sting of every nerve ending he could count, and god it felt so horrible._

_By the time he passed out, all he could make out was Tony._

_When he woke up again, he only knew agony._

* * *

Tony watched on with a soft smile as Peter's breathing began to pick up and his eyelids fluttered. He would wake up shortly, he knew.

When Peter had fallen unconscious for good, the man at his side had nearly lost himself. The doctors had no choice but to take him outside to wait, and Tony was on the verge of fighting and screaming to get back to his kid's side. He had obeyed, however, and endlessly paced outside the MedBay doors, the hollow feeling of guilt and dread and horror and _you should have done more_ eating away at him the longer he was forced to wait.

_He_ had invited Peter to join the fight, _he_ had watched the kid soar ahead to face the criminal alone and done nothing, _he_ had been the first one to see Peter on the ground and yet was held back by fighting before he could reach him.

What else could Tony have prevented in all of this, he wondered?

However, by the time Helen Cho emerged from the room and the billionaire could hardly breathe anymore, her face dawned a relieved smile.

"He's a fighter," is all he had to hear to find his air again.

_Peter is alive, Peter will recover, Peter is breathing, Peter is a fighter..._

_Alive alive alive alive alive alive alive..._

_Peter is okay!_

Peter's aunt had begun to cry at the news, and despite knowing that she wasn't the biggest fan of him, May came directly to Tony and hugged him tightly as she sobbed. It nearly squeezed out his own tears.

"Th-Thank you... so much!" May cried. He blinked, not able to think of any reason she would be thanking him.

"For what? The only thing I did for Peter was get him involved in that fight..." Tony blinked sharply against the moisture in his eyes. "I'm not the one you should be thanking, May."

_"No!!"_

The woman suddenly slapped him in the cheek, not hard enough to damage him but enough to sting. He jerked with surprise, only for her to grip the collar of his shirt as tears continued to fall. Her eyes narrowed as she tugged his collar.

"Don't you get it, Stark? I saw what you did in that emergency room, and I know that _you_ were the one hero on the battlefield who rushed to my boy's side and carried him to safety," May told him. "You always watch over and protect him, hell you were the only person those medics couldn't pull away from Peter's side until they had to physically force you. It's so blatantly obvious how much you care about him, and I swear to god he would probably be dead on that bed by now if you hadn't kept him alive! I'm just... god dammit I'm so grateful for what you've done for him..."

May's forehead collapsed against his chest, and he gently rubbed her back as she worked to regain composure.

Even if it wasn't obvious to anyone else, it was most definitely obvious to May the way that Tony silently loved Peter like a son, and did his best to protect him and care for him. She knew the boy so well, he really couldn't have anyone better.

Not even he could outdo May.

It was late when Peter's eyes finally fluttered open. His aunt lay sleeping on one side of his hospital bed with her head on her arms, and on the other side sat a smiling mentor with his arms wide open. It took no less than ten seconds for the negative space to be replaced with the weight of the kid lunging into his hold, wrapping his own strong grip around Tony's back. As the crying fits and the countless apologies passed through, the billionaire kept two of his fingers pressed firmly against the spot where he could feel the beating of Peter's pulse.

_Beating, breathing, alive..._

No matter what life threatening situation they would face, they would be there to keep each other alive, whether it be protection from danger or protection from reaching the light. Even as an Avenger, Tony knew that he would rather protect love than avenge death.

"I love you Pete," he spoke quietly with his cheek pressed against the teen's head of curls.

"I love you too, Tony."

He sighed happily.

_ So this is why May said thank you. _


	3. 5 New Years Later...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Avengers celebrate the new year after their battle against Thanos, and Peter steps outside for a breather.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Years Eve everyone! I figured it's about time I add another chapter to this collection again now that I'm less busy, and what better time than to end off the decade! I hope everyone reading this has a wonderful celebration with their families and friends, and let us all appreciate how far we've come this year!
> 
> Enjoy! Comments are always greatly appreciated! <3

Leaving the noise of the socializing Avengers behind him, Peter let out a contented sigh as he stepped out onto the front veranda of the Stark cottage. Nothing but lights from the indoors lit up the dark night, the moon like a claw in the sky against a very sparse collection of grey clouds. The teen sat down on one of the many different seats the family kept outdoors; a two-person cushioned bench that had a gentle rock to it. He didn’t mind the lack of company, after all the entire day had been noises after noises, from the hustle of getting ready for New Years, to the large number of Avengers gathered together in one place.

As Peter had now witnessed, when Falcon, Captain Marvel and Ant-Man all collectively decide to start up a Beer Pong competition, it’s a display equivalent to letting the loudest and most energetic children known to man play with lightsabers.

Needless to say, the noise that had been a constant all day for his enhanced senses needed a much deserved break. The commotion that was causing his ears and head to ache settled into a quiet buzz of the party left behind, the majority of sound now replaced with the gentle winter breeze passing over the lakeside and the chirping of nearby birds and crickets. With the crisp air pricking at his skin, Peter felt the most calm that he had for a while.

It was New Years, apparently the first that 50% of people had celebrated in many years, even if it didn’t feel like it. The celebratory 2024 fireworks lit up the sky as humanity celebrated the return of the billions that had been lost to the sick gamble of Thanos’ infinity gauntlet, and the Avengers were no exception to the party. Tony Stark, who had thankfully had a safe recovery after utilizing the infinity stones powers, invited all of the Avengers to the family’s lakeside cottage to have a holiday get-together for the first time in 5 years, which included the youngest of the team, Peter Parker. He was invited over a few days earlier than the rest, surprised with Christmas presents from the Stark’s before they welcomed him to stay until the New Years Eve party.

From the preparation to the rowdy and social gang of heroes to the ten second countdown to the new year, Peter was effectively worn out. He reached 1:24 in the morning before his senses finally reached their limit, telling him if he didn’t take a few minutes to himself then he would easily pass out.

Although it was an option he debated since going to sleep would be impossible when up against the Avengers having a party (Morgan Stark was some kind of sleeping goddess apparently), Peter settled for the relaxing solitude of the nighttime to ease his aching head.

The young hero closed his eyes and sighed with a slight smile on his lips, taking in the cool air and letting the feeling of relaxation wash over his body. Ever since the war, recovery had been hard at times, with anxieties and darkness left behind in every witness whether they fought in the battle or not. Peter had thankfully found his peace and happiness once more, of course having his own patches of darkness from time to time, but it was moments like this that he had come to appreciate. To feel thankful for.

The soft hum in the air, the joy of the celebration and the life in the cold of the night. The quiet, the crisp air, the gentle light, Peter’s senses gradually tuned down to a peaceful lull with thankfully no signs that triggered nearby danger.

It was a feeling that he used to take for granted, but after everything he had gone through with the Avengers, he had learned how to better appreciate the small moments.

The sound of the door opening beside where Peter sat would have taken him by surprise, had he not picked up on the familiar sounds of Tony’s footsteps headed his way.

And his heartbeat… Peter may or may not have taken the time to identify his heartbeat too.

“Hey underoos,” his mentor greeted not so subtly.

Peter opened his eyes and turned them to him with a smile.

“Hi Tony.”

Ever since the entire ordeal with Thanos and the five years that the two of them spent apart (despite it feeling like no time at all to Peter), the two of them had spent more time together and grown an even stronger bond than they had had before. Perhaps it was Tony’s newfound experience with fatherhood, but what was previously a mentor-protégé relationship now felt far more like a father-son relationship. The feeling was mutual, yet unspoken.

They both knew how the other felt.

“Decided to escape the chaos, huh?” Tony questioned, taking up the other seat on the rocking bench.

“Mmm, I guess so,” Peter said. “N-Nothing against the Avengers of course, they’re so cool to hang out with after everything that happened! It’s just th-the, well y’know…”

Tony gave an understanding nod when he hesitated.

Tony always understood.

“Ah, senses getting a little overloaded? It’s alright kid, I get it.” The billionaire winked. “Hey, I spent  _ way _ too many years of my young adult life throwing and attending parties even crazier than this almost constantly. Yet, even though I was so used to it I would need to step out for a break every now and then. It’s normal.”

Peter smiled at his words, letting out a contented sigh as he sank deeper into the cushions of the chair. The party inside of the cottage was becoming a mere buzz in his ears now, finding himself able to focus on Tony’s words rather than the dozen or so noisy superheroes all gathered in the same space.

Seemingly taking notice to the way the teenager’s body relaxed, Tony wrapped an arm around his shoulders and gave his arm a comforting squeeze.

“Y’know my favourite part about coming out here?” Peter murmured.

“Hm?”

His eyes gazed upward toward the sky.

“You can see th’stars so clearly out here… I watch them all the time in Queens when’m out at night, but they’re hazy r’lly often ‘cause of the lights in the city. Everything is so clear ‘n calm here… I love it….” His smile grew even wider. “After everythin’ with Thanos, I’ve come to appreciate smaller things n’life, I guess….”

Tony chuckled at the way he began to nod off.

“You tired, Pete?” he asked gently.

“Mmm… maybe?”

Peter felt a gentle hand brush its fingers through his hair, sending a wave of tranquility through his entire consciousness.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” Tony answered. “C’mere, kid.”

Peter sighed happily as he felt his weight shift to lean against the body next to his. His head came to rest against his mentor’s shoulder, who kept one arm wrapped around the teen as his hand continued running through his unkempt curls. Tony shifted in his seat to find a comfortable position, and the two of them sat in a relaxed silence for many minutes, as if the background noise didn’t exist at all.

Just as Peter could feel himself drifting off into sleep, Tony spoke quietly.

“You know… I wasn’t sure that I would ever see a day like this again. Celebrating a brand new year, and feeling like everything is right as it should be. For the last 5 years it’s been bittersweet, going into a new time of our lives, with only a fraction of who should really be there. Only having a fraction of my family…” Tony turned his head so that his chin rested on Peter’s hair, hugging him closer. “But seeing the results of our hard work, everyone being here to be happy and celebrate all together… it’s like how you said you see more value out of small things. I see greater value in the lives that I lost, that Bruce was able to bring back. When half of everyone was gone, all I kept telling myself was that I should have done more, I should have been there for my family, for my team... for  _ you. _ ”

He sighed.

“I guess what I’m trying to say is… I’m really happy that I’ve got that chance back. Let’s make this new year a great one, alright Peter? For both of us.”

Through his sleepiness, Peter had picked up on every word that his mentor spoke, and he felt a spark of gratitude for how lucky he was to have Tony in his life.

“Okay…” he muttered in response.

“Hm, when you’re tired you’re more quiet than I ever thought possible.”

Peter gave a lazy shrug, but nearly jumped when a moment later he felt a gentle kiss be pressed against his forehead.

“Goodnight kiddo.”

Peter hummed happily.

“G’night Tony….”

Tony hugged his kid close to him. Even after they managed to bring Peter back, when he used the infinity stones he was still so afraid that he would never get the chance to hold his child again. He never imagined that he would make it to where he was now, but he would be sure to appreciate every damn second of it.

“Happy New Year, Peter.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Peter and Tony are the duo of the decade and no one can change my mind.
> 
> Happy New Year!! Hope to post more chapters soon!

**Author's Note:**

> _You can find me most active on Instagram, @scribblespirit.art_


End file.
